China Airlines reward seats using Qantas points

[ZzzzLying]

A quick update, I still couldn’t change the 1st leg to a CI flight. Either from managing my booking or calling Qantas…
Manage my booking: the CI flight from Osaka to Taipei is not an option. (Multi City search shows the ticket is available)
Calling Qantas: agent insists that the flight does not have any reward seats…

BTW, not only the tickets are available on Qantas search engine, but also they are available on Delta Airline search engine… I guess I need to wait for Qantas to fix their booking system…

 

[ZzzzLying]

If anyone succeed making a booking for China Airlines that is not between Australia and Taipei, would you mind sharing your experience? Did you book it online or you called Qantas to make that booking? Thanks.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Calling Qantas: agent insists that the flight does not have any reward seats…

Very typical - we can see the flights and reward seats online, but phone agents can't.

We can't change reward flights but only phone staff can, and they can't see the reward seats we see online - what a cluster (you know what).

Would save Qantas so much time and hassle by enabling rewards bookings to be changed / amended online.

Seems that's too difficult though.

 

[ZzzzLying]

Very typical - we can see the flights and reward seats online, but phone agents can't.

We can't change reward flights but only phone staff can, and they can't see the reward seats we see online - what a cluster (you know what).

Would save Qantas so much time and hassle by enabling rewards bookings to be changed / amended online.

Seems that's too difficult though.

Totally!!! And they can save their money on those agents who do not know what they are doing...
I guess they outsourced their IT department like they outsourced their call centre...

 

[TheInsider]

I guess they outsourced their IT department like they outsourced their call centre...

Who actually has their own in-house IT department? Not many large companies at all.

 

[TheInsider]

As for booking KIX-TPE, easily be done online:



Also TPE-MEL online too:




Maybe your issue is doing a married segment and not looking at individual sectors?
You may need to look at KIX-TPE as an individual flight and then TPE-MEL as another flight. China Airlines may not have availability for a KIX-MEL which is what you are asking for (irrespective of the middle transit point).

 

[ZzzzLying]

As for booking KIX-TPE, easily be done online:
View attachment 319703


Also TPE-MEL online too:

View attachment 319704


Maybe your issue is doing a married segment and not looking at individual sectors?
You may need to look at KIX-TPE as an individual flight and then TPE-MEL as another flight. China Airlines may not have availability for a KIX-MEL which is what you are asking for (irrespective of the middle transit point).

I can book a flight from Osaka to Melbourne on a different date (30-Oct-2023). First leg is from Osaka to Taipei (CI157), and the second leg is from Taipei to Melbourne (CI57), which means you can book these 2 legs to the same ticket.
My current booking also contains 2 legs, the 1st leg is Osaka to Taipei (CX565), and the 2nd leg is Taipei to Melbourne (CI57), and all I want is to change the 1st leg from CX565 to CI157.
Yes, I can book CI157 in a brand new booking, but it will have a different PNR, and I don't want to get stuck over there is the 1st leg is delayed or cancelled. Besides, booking them on different PNR results to more QF points, which is what I don't want. The seats are available using Qantas search engine and Delta search engine, but I cannot change the 1st leg from CX565 to CI157, either from manage booking or calling Qantas.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Yeah seems like the only way to find CI award flights is via the "normal" / "domestic" search view, and via "Use money, points or both" rather than "Use points - Classic Flight Rewards only".



You can still then filter down classic reward seats from there and it'll come up as per the above posts' screenshots.

 

[encryptededdy]

Selfish me (who travels between SYD and TPE from time to time and loves China Airlines) is slightly disappointed that this announcement will probably result in reduced availability on J award seats for Australia <-> Taiwan flights for me, since some will be gobbled up by people connecting now that other CI routes are available for redemption.

 

[Danger]

Here are some route maps: China Airlines route map - Australia.

I'm surprised to see some low taxes. On the downside, arrival at JFK is 8.30pm and LAX/ONT is 9.35pm/6.10pm, although I did find a LAX at 12.25pm.

 

[AIRwin]

Here are some route maps: China Airlines route map - Australia.

Not updated for MEL

 

[Danger]

Why the different flight number (and redemption charges) for what appears to be the same flight?

 

[MelbFlyer]

Just poked around for a few routes on a few different dates and there's definitely some CI business availability that wasn't there previously at all (ie. Melbourne to Los Angeles return via Taipei with an intentional >24hr layover in Taipei both ways).

ie.
Flight 1 - Melbourne to Taipei
Flight 2 - Taipei to LA
Flight 3 - LA to Taipei
Flight 4 - Taipei to Melbourne

I was able to search for these via Multi City, but Melbourne was the first destination hence Taipei was "enterable" / "searchable".

 

[jpp42]

Why the different flight number (and redemption charges) for what appears to be the same flight?

View attachment 319730

Interesting. From what I can see, QF8677 is the normal codeshare for CI58, but QF8727 is also listed on Sundays. You can see something is odd about QF8727 in that it doesn't show the normal aircraft type/amenities listing. I checked some online travel agents as well and they definitely show both codeshares with different availability, at different prices in AUD also (checking for Sunday 2 April). Perhaps those with EF access can comment on what it shows?

Also, not directly relevant but when poking around I noted that CI sells flights on both VA and QF to connect with their flight from BNE-TPE, which is kind of interesting.

 

[TheInsider]

Also, not directly relevant but when poking around I noted that CI sells flights on both VA and QF to connect with their flight from BNE-TPE, which is kind of interesting.

Quite normal practice really. SQ sells on to QF, as do QF to UA and other random combinations. Just a standard interline agreement.

 

[encryptededdy]

Interesting. From what I can see, QF8677 is the normal codeshare for CI58, but QF8727 is also listed on Sundays. You can see something is odd about QF8727 in that it doesn't show the normal aircraft type/amenities listing. I checked some online travel agents as well and they definitely show both codeshares with different availability, at different prices in AUD also (checking for Sunday 2 April). Perhaps those with EF access can comment on what it shows?

Also, not directly relevant but when poking around I noted that CI sells flights on both VA and QF to connect with their flight from BNE-TPE, which is kind of interesting.

EF only shows QF8727 for all dates.

 

[ZzzzLying]

Okay, me again.
I finally managed to get an agent to change the booking for me.
The booking has been updated, points were refunded, however, apparently it didn't reticket. The agent said she will sort it out and call me back when the book is re-ticketed, it has been more than two hours now but I haven't received an update.
Kind of regretting the decision of changing the booking, at least I had a ticket, now everything is uncertain.

FYI, the agent who managed to change the booking for me claimed that she couldn't find any seats for that flight at first. But after I asked her to double check whether there are any reward seats at all (including economic class), she somehow found out that reward seats are available. I guess there might be an issue searching for J seats in their system but once the agent search for all classes, J seats are available (just my guess...)

Anyway, I would recommend that fellows don't rush changing their tickets to a CI flight, unless it's a CI flight between Australia and Taipei.


Called Qantas again, the agent told me that they are waiting for the ticketing team to issue a new ticket, which will be done within 24 hours. Hope I can get a new ticket by then!

I will come back with updates (hopefully there will be an update!

 

[ZzzzLying]

I’m back! I received a new ticket, which is great!

To summarise:
1. ATM you cannot change your existing booking via manage booking to include a CI flight that is not between Aus and Taipei.
2. The agent is likely to tell you that there are no availabilities, try to politely ask them to check for any reward seats, including economy and premium economy class for the same flight, and they might be able to find out that there are availabilities, including business class.
3. It could take a while for the booking to be re-ticketed.
4. China Airlines manage booking will only display itinerary that had ticket issued. If ticket is not issued, it will display error message, IMO it’s a good choice for checking the status of the booking since CMT (CheckMyTrip) is no longer displaying e-ticket number.

Anyway, it’s all done. And I hope you fellows book your tickets successfully, too!

 

[Danger]

I've been looking at an AMS-xTPE-KUL fare, both flights on CI. The mileage for AMS-TPE is 5878 and 2012 TPE-KUL for a total of 7891. The mileage for AMS-KUL is 6363.

The Qantas website is quoting me 119.2K (7001-8400 band) rather than 104.5K (5801-7000 band).

If both flights are on the same carrier and the intermediate point is only a transit, should the mileage be A-C, rather than the sum of A-B and B-C?

 

[encryptededdy]

I've been looking at an AMS-xTPE-KUL fare, both flights on CI. The mileage for AMS-TPE is 5878 and 2012 TPE-KUL for a total of 7891. The mileage for AMS-KUL is 6363.

The Qantas website is quoting me 119.2K (7001-8400 band) rather than 104.5K (5801-7000 band).

If both flights are on the same carrier and the intermediate point is only a transit, should the mileage be A-C, rather than the sum of A-B and B-C?

Strange, but depending on the booking engine you may have to click through to the checkout screen before it computes itself the "correct" price.

I assume your transit in TPE is <24h?

This pricing is correct. It will always be the actual distance travelled. The only difference is if it will price A-B and B-C separately (transit >24h, different carriers*) or together as the sum of A-B-C (always cheaper, what you have here).